


Auribus Teneo Lupum

by eckcro



Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Space Politics, Warnings May Change, detailed trade talks, intragalactic trade, let's get into space politics, minor character appearances from some canon characters, not important enough to be listed in characters though, original characters needed to expand political scene
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2018-12-27 06:47:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12075702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eckcro/pseuds/eckcro
Summary: Vilgax is poised to take over the Galactic Union. To stop him, Ben makes him an offer he can't refuse.





	1. Ultimatum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the idea of expanding on what we know from canon, so expect gratuitous political scenes. This first chapter features a long speech about intragalactic trade, so if neither politics nor economics interest you (or if you can't at least tolerate them), then this might not be a good fic for you.
> 
> This fic is probably going to be somewhat slow in updates, if the first chapter is anything to go off of. I'll definitely try to stay consistent, though.

The room was packed with representatives, diplomats, even a few planetary and system leaders. They milled about, socializing and catching up before the trade talks began. Dozens of different languages could be heard within a few paces of each other, alongside conversations being held in Common. Although the large meeting room was specifically designed to minimize volume, the noise from the various government figures still managed to rise above a dull roar.

It was the annual galactic trade summit, and governments from all reaches of the galaxy had members of their respective administrations in attendance. Zaw-Veenull of Lewoda and Udo of Keplorr were among the most notable representatives, with Urauc and Bleiai — of Encephalonus IV and Ringa Morr respectively — taking a close second. Of course, that was simply among the representatives; leaders like Caitiff of Lewoda were present as well.

"Woah, that's a lot of aliens," Ben breathed quietly, leaning towards Gwen.

"That might have something to do with the fact that this is the galaxy's largest trade convention." Gwen's tone sat somewhere between annoyed and amused.

"A convention? Like, comicon?"

That actually managed to get a laugh out of Gwen, who quickly tried to hide her mirth behind a raised palm. She shook her head, still struggling to keep from laughing.

"Like a _government_ convention, Ben. Since, you know, that's exactly what this is."

Ben was saved from having to think up a response when Grandpa Max took them both by the shoulders and started leading them towards a table on the other side of the room.

"Ben, Gwen, I'd like you to meet someone."

Ben would have asked Grandpa Max who "someone" was — and he was sure Gwen would have as well — but they were immediately brought out into the occupied area of the room. It was crowded and difficult to keep track of Grandpa Max as they made their way through the thronging mass of aliens. After several minutes of weaving through the crowd of assembled representatives, they reached the table. Sitting there were three aliens: a Dracosian, a Lenopan, and one species that Ben didn't recognize at all.

Grandpa Max gestured enthusiastically to the third alien, who replied in kind.

"Max! It's been too long!"

"I know! I haven't seen you in person since Plion VM." Grandpa Max turned to address Ben and Gwen. "Kids, this is Ialk'or, the High Commissioner of Philoxendu. We've known each other for years."

Ialk'or got to his feet and faced the two cousins. Ben tried reading his face, but the lack of a distinct iris and pupil area, coupled with a lipless mouth, made it nearly impossible. His body language was equally difficult to decipher. The only indicators of emotion seemed to come from Ialk'or's tone of voice and the bioluminescent tendrils sprouting from his head. Ben idly wondered what each color meant as the tendrils cycled slowly through several hues of purple and blue. Before he could get too transfixed by the hypnotic sway and glow of the dancing stalks, Gwen spoke.

"How do you do, Commissioner Ialk'or?" Gwen asked, extending her hand for a handshake.

"Oh, no need for the formalities! Max and I are very close friends. Just call me K'or; it's what your grandpa calls me." He gave Gwen a toothy smile — which she returned hesitantly, unbalanced by his request to dispense of proper etiquette — then turned his attention to Ben. "And you! Ben 10! Even if Max hadn't told me all about you, you'd need no introduction. What an honor it is to finally meet you! Why, if I had known you'd be here—"

"Now, now, K'or. Ben may be a hero, but at the end of the day, he's a teenager too. He has plenty of people treating him like a hero; he could do with a few more people just treating him like a person."  
  
"Of course, Max," Ialk'or said, tendrils speeding up slightly and flashing a bright teal. "Sorry, Ben. I just got a little caught up in the moment."

Ben wasn't sure what to say besides a generic "that's okay," so that's what he found coming out of his mouth. Fortunately, it was enough for Ialk'or, who relaxed and sat back down.

"Well, it was a real pleasure meeting you two! The opening speeches are going to start soon, but I hope to see you again afterwards."

"How about we meet up over by Meeting Room 1B?" Max suggested.

"Wonderful. Now, are you three staying for the opening, or...?"

"You're right; we should find some seats. Nice seeing you again, K'or."

"Always good to see you too, Max."

The three peeled away from the table and set off across the room again. It was much easier to navigate than before, and a little quieter too. It seemed everyone else was starting to get to their seats as well. Gwen and Ben didn't have to worry about losing Grandpa Max in the crowd — which was a relief — giving them time to look around a bit more.

The room was huge, at least three times taller than the largest alien present. The ceiling was dome-shaped, arching high above their heads. Colorful, techie-looking spheres hung down at varying heights, and Ben could only begin to guess at their purpose. Everything about the room was shiny and sleek. The walls, the ceiling, the furniture. The floor was pressure-sensitive, lighting up under and around anything that rested on it. Colorful patterns and virtual walkways formed where ambassadors converged, creating a sort of rippling effect as they made their way through the room.

And then, of course, there was the media. Around the edge of the room, reporters and news cameras hovered, taking it all in. News crews bustled around the reporters, prepping for their live broadcasts. Some crews kept to their own allotted space, while others tried to spread out into their neighbor's spots. Competing channels couldn't quite hide their disdain for each other, but managed to keep from outright fighting. Still, Ben witnessed one Pyronite turn to yell at a Cerebrocrustacean whose camera had gotten a little too close for their liking.

Ben sighed. Ever since he'd become galaxy-famous, he'd grown increasingly weary of the media. The more reporters in one place, the worse it got. More reporters meant more crowding meant more conflict and an all-around bad time. He hated it. But of course, as a major political event, the trade talks would be widely broadcast. And considering the sheer amount of governments participating, of course the corresponding amount of news cameras and journalists would be uncomfortably large.

Grandpa Max moved closer to the center of the room, Ben and Gwen trailing behind. Suddenly, Ben felt a firm hand clamp down on his shoulder. His first instinct was to whip around and transform, but it took less than a second for Ben's internal catalogue to cross-reference the feeling of the hand and realize who it was.

So instead of whipping around and transforming, Ben whipped around and grabbed the hand in a firm but friendly hold.

"Kevin! Dude, what are you doing here? You didn't tell us you'd be coming too."

"I figured I'd try to surprise you."

"Well, you definitely got Ben. I think you nearly gave him a heart attack," Gwen said, a slight quirk to her lips.

Kevin chuckled. "That true, Benji?"

Ben responded by playfully punching Kevin's shoulder. Kevin returned the favor, and they probably would have escalated from there if Grandpa Max hadn't cut in.

"Boys, behave yourselves. This is still a government conference." Max gestured for Ben and Kevin to take their seats. Sobered by the chastisement, they sat. Gwen was already seated.

On the raised platform at the front of the room, Udo was standing and pressing buttons on the room's main control panel. The lights running through the walls and ceiling flickered from bright to dim and back again. Behind him, a larger-than-life hologram of the Galactic Union logo appeared. The room's central speaker system turned on, and Udo could be heard clearly by everyone, no matter how far they were from him.

"Esteemed colleagues, I welcome you all to this annual summit on intragalactic trade. I would like to welcome Travoro, who, as many of you know, is for the first time hosting this very important event. It is an honor to be here on Travoro's moon Tekla. My sincerest congratulations on your recent acceptance into the GU."

Here, a ripple of applause erupted from the crowd. Udo waited for it to die down before continuing.

"I would like to extend my gratitude — and that of the entire committee — to Magister Tennyson and President Edux, who both played a large role in making this conference what it is. Additional thanks to the Plumbers," he gestured to the table where several high-ranking Plumbers sat, "without whom galactic law could not be enforced."

More applause. Udo lifted a hand to quiet the assembled representatives.

"We are here today to discuss trade between our star systems. Namely, the recent troubles plaguing our shipments and intersystem relations. We represent two thirds of this galaxy, so a trade dysfunction within our union is a trade dysfunction that significantly impacts the galaxy at large."

Here, the hologram behind Udo changed to show a three-dimensional view of the galaxy. Union regions were displayed in red, the rest of the galaxy a pale flickering blue.

"We are responsible for quintillions of sentient beings, each of whom bring their own anxieties and fears and problems in need of solving. It is impossible to address them all, but it is important that we endeavor to do so in spite of this. It is our job, as elected and appointed representatives, to do what is best for each of our peoples. It is in this spirit that I wish to proceed.

"Chief among our issues to address is the macroeconomic instability of many of our member planets, especially those of the Sialbensis Quadrant. While some star systems in the region manage to maintain a healthy and stable economic infrastructure, most are experiencing stagnation, even decline."

Again, the hologram changed. It zoomed into one section of the galactic map. A label appeared declaring that this was the Sialbensis Quadrant. More labels appeared, showing the planets where the economy was failing, and by how much. Though Ben wasn't exactly sure what it all meant, Gwen gasped quietly. Clearly she understood it.

"I know, right?" Kevin whispered to Gwen. "It's pretty bad out in that region." Instead of responding, Gwen shushed Kevin and returned her attention to Udo, who was still speaking.

"Meanwhile, refugees flee from the Denatio, Pator, and Fugitarus star systems. Billions have been displaced, and many have lost their lives in their attempts to escape war, famine, and foreign invaders." The hologram shifted and expanded, showing scenes from each of these star systems.

At this, the assembled officials murmured their agreement and dismay.

"A tragedy, for sure," Udo acknowledged the audience's reaction before continuing his speech.

"Now, I would be remiss to ignore the extent to which pirates contribute to all three of those issues, in addition to being a problem in and of themselves." The scenes of the struggling systems disappeared to be replaced with a life-size model of a pirate ship, slowly turning in circle to be viewed from all sides.

"While the Galactic Union has taken previous measures to combat pirates, they have seemingly grown more aggressive and widespread over the past decade. And, while the GU prides itself on the humanitarian aid it sends to war zones and planets experiencing famine, there is simply not enough cohesion within the union to provide aid to the fullest degree.

"Even Ricolo, which has experienced a recent upturn in its financial stability, still remains vulnerable to external shocks." The pirate ship morphed into a sphere, still turning, then split off into multiple spinning spheres. Each took on the geographical features of a planet in the Ricolo system.

"Despite its impressive rise in GDP, the system is only just recovering from years of internal fracturing under the previous regime," Udo continued. "This star system is one of many others like it: a struggling member of the GU. And, as members of the GU, they are entitled to the help and support of the entire union. Instead of simply focusing on ourselves, the more fortunate systems must step up and lend a hand to those lagging behind. We are stronger together."

The planets were absorbed back into a single holographic image, this one depicting a hand and a tentacle interlocking. It reminded Ben of the commonly-used imagery of a white and black hand clasped together. Strength in unity.

"Right now, financial integration for member systems needs to be one of our primary focuses as professionals, and as active members of our nations. The more cohesive and cooperative we are as an economic unit, the more efficient, profitable, and productive our trade will be.

"This cycle starts the push towards integration on the legislative, operative, and business levels; not one, all. We must create a set of policies that will promote investment, economic growth, and financial stability inside and outside of each government's territories."

The hand and tentacle holograms unclasped, turning into a credit, a tayden, and a legal document all orbiting a planet.

"Further, we need to address the economic and social stagnation during times of violence and governmental instability. The solution here is easy to identify, harder to accomplish. Peace and reconciliation must be achieved in the regions suffering great turmoil. Investing in infrastructure and sentient resources — including schools and healthcare — help to create a strong basis on which to build an economy." As Udo continued, the hologram reshaped itself into a holotram, a school, and a hospital.

"I know as well as any other person here today that we all have our differences. We may have histories of conflict with one another, or may simply have vastly different values. However, our goals are one and the same: we all want to make this galaxy a better place to live in." The hologram shifted one last time, returning to its original form as the GU logo.

"I don't pretend that all of our union's trade problems can be solved in one summit, nor do I claim to have all the answers. I do, however, want to stress that in order to get anything done, we must all be willing to make some compromises. We must be willing to understand and accommodate each other's views while still maintaining loyalty to our own ideals.

"In a moment, Travaro's Secretary of Trade will ask for the members of the press to leave so that we may begin our important work. While transparency is highly valued between our member systems, the presence of the media can offer too many distractions to the proceedings.

"Before I hand over the microphone to Secretary Murcans, allow me to inform you of what you can expect after the opening ceremony has been concluded. There will be a quick recess, then we will reconvene in this hall. The rest of the cycle will include speeches, workshops, and expert panels; the conferences and debates will commence during the next cycle. This summit's full itinerary has been sent to each of your data pads.

"I thank you for your attention." Behind Udo, the hologram flickered briefly and shut off.

The assembly applauded as Udo made way for the head of Travaro's Trade Department. A brief conversation could be seen taking place before he stepped into the spot where Udo had stood. He cleared his throat and the room's central sound system turned back on.

"Thank you for your insightful words, Ambassador Udo. On behalf of Travaro, I thank you for the opportunity to host a conference of this magnitude."

As the audience broke out into polite applause, the hologram projector turned itself back on. A murmur traveled through the government representatives, rising into cries of distress and surprise when it was Vilgax who formed before them. Several people fell out of their seats in shock. The hologram was larger than life, and Vilgax towered above everyone in the room.

"Greetings, members of the esteemed Galactic Union. I trust that I'm not interrupting anything important?" Vilgax said slyly, a malicious grin on his lips.

Ben's hand reached for his Omnitrix but Grandpa Max grabbed his wrist.

"Ben, no. Not here."

"But—"

"Not. Here."

Reluctantly, Ben lowered his hands to the table. Next to him, Gwen's hands glowed dangerously and Kevin absorbed metal from the floor.

"Gwen, Kevin, stand down. I'll handle this." Grandpa Max stood and made his way to the front of the room. He stopped before the raised platform and glared up at Vilgax.

"Vilgax, what do you think you're doing? You know full well that this is illegal."

The alien warlord threw his head back and laughed. His laughter held no amusement, only condescension and the promise of defeat. After a few short seconds, he turned his gaze to look down at Max.

"You speak as though I have not broken your pathetic laws before," he sneered. "The Galactic Union is a joke, and the Plumbers are powerless to stop me. And as of right now, so is everyone else."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Another rumbling laugh. "I mean, Magister Tennyson, that I have you all right where I want you."

The panicked murmurings of the government officials grew and swelled into a cacophony of outrage. The Plumbers that had been invited to the trade talks got up and joined Max before the hologram. The turned away from Vilgax and quieted the crowd.

"What do you mean by that, Vilgax?" Max demanded, managing to keep his voice calm and even.

"After today, the Galactic Union will be no more. Your territories will join the rest of my conquests as part of the Vilgaxian Empire."

"You don't have the resources to pull off such an ambitious—"

"Oh, but I already have. Whether or not you accept it, I have already won. Still, I am a generous ruler. What I offer each of you is the chance to surrender your planets to me peacefully."

The roar of outrage from the crowd started up again, louder than before. It took the Plumbers and hosts from Travoro several minutes to calm them. Vilgax simply watched, waiting to continue.

"Here is my offer: you either surrender to me willingly, or I will take your planets by force. And I assure you that the takeover will not be pleasant."

"You've tried conquering us before, and you failed. How do you expect to take down every member of the GU at once?" Caitiff stood, speaking loudly to be heard over the renewed uproar.

"Because, dear Lewodan, I have already infiltrated your government." Vilgax then addressed the rest of the room. "I have already infiltrated _all_ of your governments."

"But-but how?!" came a cry from the far end of the room.

Vilgax ignored the panicked question. "I have agents holding key positions in each of your governments. And now, thanks to this conference, I have all of you, too. Don't bother trying to escape; Tekla is surrounded.

"Even in the unlikely event that my agents fail to seize control from the inside, I simply have to hold your lives over the heads of the rest of your administrations."

"Lemme tell ya somethin', you no good, down and dirty oppressive warlord! Our people will never surrender, especially not to the likes of you!" Vexx — the Appoplexian leader — had leapt up onto his table, shocking none of his own diplomats but making several nearby Splixons jump. "And another thing! We're not goin' down without a fight! I don't care how surrounded you think you've got us! Vexx is gonna kick your butt!" With that, he leapt at the hologram.

Vexx flew through the air, through Vilgax's projection, and hit the wall with a loud smack. Several people sucked in a breath through their teeth, including Gwen and Grandpa Max.

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt," Kevin said, wincing.

Vilgax stood stock-still as Vexx's diplomats followed his lead, trying to attack the towering hologram despite the impossibility of such an action.

After several minutes of watching the Appoplexians attack Vilgax's image — and the rest of the assembly milling around fearfully — Ben could no longer contain himself. He stood from his seat and stalked up to the front of the room. Grandpa Max tried to grab him by the wrist, but he brushed past him.

"Vilgax!" Ben pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Why, if it isn't the great Ben Ten."

"I won't let you get away with this, Vilgax! I've kicked your butt before and I can do it again!"

Vilgax laughed. "And what makes you think this is like the other times? Past performance does not guarantee future success."

"Ben, enough." Grandpa Max's voice was rough and held a forced calm. "Go sit down."

"Yes, Benjamin. You should really listen to your elders. Go sit down like the good little hero your are," Vilgax said, voice thick with condescension.

"No; that's not what a hero does. As a hero, my job is to beat bad guys like you, and that's what I'm gonna do." Ben glowered at Vilgax, hands bunched into fists.

"I grow impatient." Vilgax made a dismissive gesture towards Ben and Max, then shifted his attention to address the rest of the room. "All of you must make your decision by the end of the cycle. Deliberate, debate, but keep an eye on the clock. If you fail to respond within the time limit, your planets will be taken from you, with no chance for negotiations. I have faith that you will make the right choice." With that, the hologram of Vilgax disappeared. In his place, a large six-digit number hovered.

And then it started counting down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All comments and critiques are welcome! I'm always looking to improve my writing.
> 
> Sorry it's starting off so slow; the next chapter will show the politicians' reactions and Ben's decision. The story should really pick up in chapter 3 (possibly in the later half of chapter 2)


	2. Deliberation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only got like 1/4 of the way through writing this chapter, but since I’m not sure I’m gonna continue this I figured I might as well post it. I may or may not continue. If I do, I’ll update this chapter with the rest of the content and continue. If not, we’ll, this is how it’ll stay.

"Well, shit." Kevin broke the silence that had descended over the room. 

It was like turning a key in the ignition. Everyone's mental processes immediately caught up to the abrupt turn of events, and with it came the panicking. People tried opening the doors, to no avail. Some attempted to break through the doors, while others sat and debated with their party members. Roaring, yelling, and an assorted jumble of alien noises swelled into a chorus of fear and rage.

"Everybody, please take your seats." It was President Edux, voice booming through the room's sound system. "We must be calm and organized to figure out the best solution to this problem."

It took several long minutes, but eventually the chaos subsided, and Ben saw all but a few return to their chairs. Those who didn't sit paced nervously, lashing their tentacles or biting their lips, or engaging in whatever nervous habit their species had. An expectant hush fell, waiting for someone to answer the unspoken question: how are we going to fight Vilgax off this time? Can we fight him off this time?

Edux moved and allowed Max to join him on the dais. Ben watched, close enough that he himself could have jumped up onto the raised platform and declare that he would fight Vilgax, and any self-respecting person ought to do the same. He would have, if Gwen hadn't pulled him back to his chair with a large, magically-conjured extension of her hand.

"Vilgax is a dangerous and powerful being." The government officials blanched at Max's words, but he raised a hand to calm them before anyone could interject. 

"Vilgax is a dangerous and powerful being, but not unbeatable. There is always a way to defeat him, and we'll find it. First, though, we have to make sure that we don't defeat ourselves for him. Panicking is not going to help us. The only thing that will help us is figuring out a plan to stop him."

A few mutters could be heard from amongst the audience, but other than that, nobody responded.

President Edux stepped forward and cleared his throat. "I open the floor to anyone who thinks they have a plan."

Several aliens stood at once, talking over each other as they tried to communicate their thoughts. Edux motioned for all but one to sit and wait.

Caitiff remained standing.

"It seems to me we don't have much choice in the matter. You all heard what Vilgax said; he'll take our planets regardless of what we choose. Why should we let our peoples suffer needlessly when surrendering will grant us mercy?" Caitiff seemed not to notice — or at least, not mind — the looks of shock and horror he was receiving from his peers.

Ben stared at the Lewodan, mouth agape. That anyone would be that willing to admit defeat, especially against Vilgax... Before he knew it, Ben was rising from his seat again and opening his mouth to speak.

"That's not how this works! That's not how any of this works!" he found himself saying. "You don't know Vilgax. Not like I do, not like Grandpa Max does."

Gwen and Kevin were both nervously trying to get Ben to take his seat, but he resolutely ignored them. He unconsciously took a step in Caitiff's direction.

"Vilgax doesn't know what mercy is." Ben could hear his tone hardening, his volume rising, but could do nothing about it as he pressed on. "He'll make you guys surrender, and then he'll just do whatever he would've done to your people if you hadn't. He likes having power. He likes hurting people." Out of the corner of his eye, Ben could see Grandpa Max frown and cross his arms. Still, he made no move to stop Ben.

"You can't surrender to him," Ben concluded, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Then what do you propose we do, oh great Savior of the Universe?" Ben couldn't see who had spoken this time, but he turned to face the direction he had heard the voice come from.

"What does it sound like? I'm saying we fight!"

Another swell in volume rippled through the room before once again being silenced by President Edux.

"It is apparent that we are all of different opinions regarding surrender. Perhaps we should tackle that issue first, before trying to formulate any plans?"

This time, it was Kevin who stood up, hands clenched into fists and mouth set in a disbelieving frown.

"You've got to be kidding! Vilgax has you guys trapped and you seriously want to debate whether to hand your planets over to him on a silver platter?!"

Gwen reached up and grabbed both boys by the sleeves, dragging them back into their seats. "Guys..." she warned under her breath.

Around them, the hall had once again erupted into pandemonium. Everyone wanted their opinion heard, and they wanted it heard now. The tenuous order that President Edux had been maintaining crumbled in seconds, and Ben could hardly believe his eyes when he saw two diplomats — neither of them Appoplexian — squaring off a few tables away. To the left of him, Kevin also looked ready to fight, and to the right was Gwen, getting up from her seat and—

What was Gwen doing?

Ben watched, brows furrowed, as Gwen walked up to stand next to Grandpa Max. They spoke briefly, their expressions closed. He tried to read their lips, but they were too far away, and the chaos going on around him was becoming increasingly distracting. He debated getting closer but thought better of it when a loud and violent argument started up a few feet away from him. Ben reluctantly remained in his seat.

Kevin, on the other hand, had no qualms about setting off across the room. He made a beeline for the front of the room, weaving and ducking around diplomats. Ben was half-tempted to follow, ______

Finally, Gwen made her way back over to Kevin and Ben, discretely shifting aliens out of her way with telekinesis. In the front of the room, Grandpa Max had

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not motivated to work on this anymore because of the lack of feedback and support.
> 
> I’m currently working on a Camp Camp AU which is getting tremendous support, attention, fanart, and fanfiction. I’m pouring all my time and energy into that instead of Ben 10 because I am continuously receiving motivation to continue my Camp Camp content.


End file.
